The Air Jordan XII was inspired by Nisshoki (the Japanese flag), and a 19th century womans' dress boot. However, featuring gold-plated steel lace loops, embossed lizard skin pattern and zoom air, this model set a new direction in style and technology in shoe design. Though not as light weight as previous models, the construction and firmness of the shoe is widely considered to be the most durable and sturdy shoes from the Air Jordan line. This shoe came in 5 colorways and was released on March 13. The shoe was released on December 25, 2008 with the Eleven as the final countdown pack. In addition, the Twelve was combined with the Thirteen numbered Jordan to produce the 12.5. As of today, the 11/12 countdown package (retro) retails for US$750–US$800, well above the starting price of US$310.

The Air Jordan XII was originally released from 1996-1997. It was retroed in 2003, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, and 2013